Combined shoulder pad support and brassiere



0d. 4-, 1949. s, CLARK ET AL 2,483,809

COMBINED SHOULDER PAD SUPPORT AND BRASSIERE Filed April 25, 1946 v INVENTOR5 SARA L. CLAEK Patented Oct. 4, 1949 COMBINED SHOULDER PAD SUPPORT AND BRASSIERE Sara L. Clark and Maud Raphael, Sierra Madre, Calif.; said Raphael assignor to said Clark Application April 25, 1946, Serial No. 664,928

'7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a combined brassiere or like garment and a shoulder support therefor and deals more particularly with a shoulder pad arrangement having means for operative :association or combination with a conventional garment of the brassiere type.

Heretofore, garments of the nature of a blouse, shirt waist or dress required and were provided with shoulder pads. Cleaning or Washing such garments entailed removal of these pads. Additi'onal expense was incurred by providing a pair of pads for each garment.

The present invention has for its major object to provide a new article of manufacture which consists of a pair of shoulder pads, adjustable means for connecting the pads so that the article is unitary and will maintain its position on the shoulders of the wearer, and embodies means adapting the article for connection with a garment such as a 'brassire whereby the complete ensemble can be donned ready for an outer garment as above referred to.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoulder pad arrangement wherein the fabric portions are separable from the shoulder pads or shields for easy laundering or cleaning.

The present device is characterized by its adjustability for fit and size, lightness of weight,

flexibility of use and general ability for individual adaptability.

Our invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of .the following description. However, the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes one embodimentof the present. invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a perspective View of a combined bras;- s-iere and shoulder support which embodies the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged? perspective view of one shoulder pad shown separably associated with a shoulder strap of a brassiere.

Fig. 3; is a further enlarged sectional view as taken on.- the line3' -3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an under side perspective view of the shoulder pad shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View as taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

That form of the invention which is shown in the drawing comprises a brassire I0 and a shoulder pad arrangement ll separably connected to the shoulder strap [2 of said brassiere.

The brassiere I0 is of conventional form and design and is here illustrated as typical of gar ments of that general character.

The shoulder pad arrangement comprises, generally, shoulder pads l3, means 14 on each pad for separable connection with each associated brassiere strap l2, means l5 for connecting the pads and whereby the arrangement is unitary, means It for efiecting individual adjustment for desired fit of each pad, and means H on each pad for softening the outer edge thereof to obtain a soft draped disposition of the shoulders of an outer garment worn over the instant device.

Each shoulder pad l3 comprises a shield l8 and a removable or slip cover l9. The shield is suitably formed to fit over the shoulder of a wearer and is made of a generally thick yet flexible material whereby the general curved form thereof can be varied according to the shoulder to be fitted. Medially of the length of each shield and on opposite sides of the curved portion thereof, there are provided sIi-ts 20 as best seen in Fig. 5.

The cover I9 is formed of a suitable fabric and comprises an under side 2| and an upper side 22 stitched together along an edge 23 coincidental to the contour edge of the shield. However, the outer edge 24 of the cover I9 is left open and is provided with snap fasteners 25. Thus, the shield can be inserted through the opening 24' of the cover and enclosed within the cover by closing of the snap fasteners 25. As shown in Fig-3, the means I! comprises a shirr-ed or gathered strip of lace which is stitched to the outer edge of the upper side 22. It will be evident that the shoulder of an outer garment will drape and fall smoothly over said lace strip which yields according to the weight of the shoulder portions of said garment.

The means 14 comprises a strap or ribbon 26 stitched to the upper side 22 of the cover and disposed so as to provide front and back ends 21 and 28, respectively depending freely below the lower edge of pad [3. The ribbon 26 is located adjacent to the inner edge of each shield I3 as shown. The ends- 2"! and 28 are each formed with a loop- 29 adapted to receive a clip 30 of the side open type whereby said clips are easily applied or removed when laundering of the cover I9 is desired. Each clip 30 is further p vided with means for separable connection with associated portions of the brassiere strap l 2. By slipping said strap laterally through the side openings of the clips and pressing the hinged grip members 3| closed, each strap I2 is effectively yet separately connected to its respective shoulder pad I 3. The means It! further includes a loop 32 stitched to the under side 2| of the cover at one end 33 and connected by a snap fastener 34 'at its other end. The loop thus provided receives and retains the bight of the strap 12 as best seen in Fig. 3.

The means l comprises a strap or ribbon 35 stitched at each of its ends to each depending end 28 of the shoulder pads i3. Said pads are thereby connected to give unity to the structure. The strap I5 is adjustable for length by means of a slide clip 36 according to the needs of the wearer.

The means l6 comprises a band or ribbon 3'! which is trained over the upper surface of the shield- I8 and has its ends passed through the mentioned slits 20 and through registering button holes 38 in the under side '2! of the shield cover l9. One end 39 of the band 3'! is provided with a hook 40 and the other end 4| of said band is provided with a plurality of holes or eyelets 42 for selective engagement by the hook ii}. As seen in Fig. 5, the arched form of each shoulder pad can be adjusted by the means 5 to obtain a desired fit of said pads on the shoulders of the wearer. Said means may be employed to obtain a desired tilt of the shoulder line of an outer garment.

It will be apparent from the foregoin that an adjustable, light weight and flexible shoulder lift arrangement has been provided which readily can be fastened to and thus be combined with a brassire and thereby obviating the use of ungainly, lumpy pads of impersonal design and arrangement. Once fitted to the individual shoulder contours of the wearer, the present arrangement will similarly individualize all outer garments applied thereon.

While we have illustrated and described what we now regard as the preferred embodiment of our invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention. We, therefore, do not wish to restrict ourselves to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire to avail ourselves of all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure b Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character referred to, a pair of pads adapted to rest upon the shoulders and embrace the front and rear thereof, each pad having secured on the outside thereof a strap, the ends of said strap extending beyond the lower edges of the pad, a loop on the underside of said pad, a brassiere suspender threaded through said loop, the ends of said strap being connected with said suspender, and means extended through said pad to adjust the front and rear of said pad to the shoulder of the wearer.

2. In a device of the character referred to, a pair of pads adapted to saddle the respective shoulders of a wearer and embrace the front and rear thereof, each pad having secured outwardly thereon a strap, the ends of saidstrap extending freely beyond the lower edges of said pad, a brassire suspender connected with the underside of said shoulder pad, means connecting said suspender to the extended end of said strap, a band extendin transversely over the top of said pad and having its end threaded through the front and rear of the pad, said band operable to shape the pad to the contour of the shoulder, and mutually engaging means on the ends of the band to hold the pad in position of adjustment.

3. A shoulder-supported device comprising an arcuate body adapted to saddle a shoulder and having a loop on the underside adjacent to the top of the shoulder, a brassire strap extended through said loop, a band fastened on the outside of said body and having its ends extended below the bottom of the sides of said body, means for dissociably connecting said band ends to said strap, flexible means encircling the arcuate body and terminatin within the same to adjust the front and rear of said body to the contour of the shoulder, and means on the ends of said flexible means arranged for mutual engagement to hold the body in its position of adjustment.

4. A shoulder-supported device of the character referred to, comprising an arcuate body adapted to saddle a shoulder and having a loop within, a brassiere suspender extended through said loop, a band fastened transversely on the outside of said body and having its ends extended freely below the bottom of said body, means for detachably connecting said suspender to the extended ends of said band, and means within the body to adjust the arcuate contour thereof to the contour of the shoulder.

5. A shoulder-supported device of the class referred to, comprising a saddle for straddling a shoulder and embracing the sides thereof, means within said saddle for receiving a brassiere suspender, a band fastened to the outside and extending transversely of said saddle, the respective ends of said band extending below the bottom of said saddle, means for detachably connecting said end to said suspender means for adjustably connecting one of said extended band ends with another, the saddle sides having incisions, and, a flexible strap embracing the top of the saddle and having its ends extended through said incisions, said ends being arranged to be drawn toward each other to regulate the contour of the saddle to the contour of the shoulder.

6. A shoulder-supported device for connection with a brassiere or similar garment comprising a pair of similar shoulder embracing pads each having an arched transverse form to engage the top, front and back of the shoulder, means embodied in each pad for adjusting the curvature of its arched form to vary the fit thereof on the shoulder with which it is engaged, said pair of pads thereby being individually adjustable, means on each pad separate from the pad adjusting means and having front and back portions adapted for separable connection with the shoulder straps of a garment to hold said pads from upward displacement, and an adjustable member connecting the mentioned back portions for holding said pads against lateral displacement.

7. A shoulder-supported device for connection with a brassire or similar garment comprising a pair of similar shoulder embracing pads each having an arched transverse form to engage the top, front and back of the shoulder, means embodied in each pad for adjusting the curvature of its arched form to vary the fit thereof on the shoulder with which it is engaged, said pair oi pads thereby being individually adjustable, a ribbon trained over and aflixed to each pad and having front and back depending ends, a clip on each of said ends for separable engagement with a gar- 5 ment shoulder strap whereby said pads are held against upward displacement, and an adjustable member connecting the mentioned back depending ends of the ribbon on each pad to hold said pads against lateral displacement. 10

SARA L. CLARK. MAUD RAPHAEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 15 file of this patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Gaddis Dec. 26, 1899 Pankey June 20, 1939 J ohanson Oct. 9, 1945 Nichols June 18, 1946 Glickman July 30, 1946 Zacks June 10, 1947 Kleinman June 24, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 1, 1939 

